Healthy Body Water %?

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twocsmom
twocsmom Posts: 120 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone out there have a smart scale that measures their Body Water Percentage? Any idea what percentage it should be? My scale (and I know they are not an exact science but it's given me some correlative data) consistently shows a body water % of 41-43.5%. I've noticed that when I dip below 43% my weight goes up ever so slightly. Even 43.5% seems low based on articles I've read but I can't seem to get it up higher...

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  • twocsmom
    twocsmom Posts: 120 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    I wouldn't put any thought or worry into these numbers.
    Any reason why? That's an honest question...admittedly I don't have a deep understanding of how all these numbers work independently or together other than the basics. I'm not worried or stressed out about it but just curious to learn from anyone out there who has more knowledge than I do.

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Because its a mostly irrelevant health marker, obtained with a hugely inaccurate device.

    As long as you are drinking sufficient water (using a pale yellow urine color as a marker) you are fine.

    If you were measuring body fat % with a more accurate means, that's something that's relevant to be monitored for trends up/down.
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
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    Why? Because it fluctuates all the time for a variety of reasons as your body holds on to what it needs. Just be sure to drink plenty of fluids and your body will get rid of the excess.
  • twocsmom
    twocsmom Posts: 120 Member
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    Thanks...I know the smart scales are not absolutely accurate-but it does give me markers to compare and THAT is what works for me, holds me accountable to myself if that makes sense. I look at all the data-not just water %-but also take it for what it's worth. Yes there are fluctuations and I take into account what else could be going on that would cause that but they serve as a gentle reminder to treat my body right.

    Thanks again!
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    The only real use for that number is to compare it to a BF number....

    If your hydration estimate is outside of your normal range(high or low) your BF number is going to be less than meaningful.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    twocsmom wrote: »
    Thanks...I know the smart scales are not absolutely accurate-but it does give me markers to compare and THAT is what works for me, holds me accountable to myself if that makes sense. I look at all the data-not just water %-but also take it for what it's worth. Yes there are fluctuations and I take into account what else could be going on that would cause that but they serve as a gentle reminder to treat my body right.

    Thanks again!

    I don't understand what you are saying. Those machines are not accurate and not consistent enough to make their readings meaningful as one time event readings or to view changes over time. They really aren't. You could use the tool on this page and get numbers that are as useful as the ones your scale is giving you.
  • twocsmom
    twocsmom Posts: 120 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    The only real use for that number is to compare it to a BF number....

    If your hydration estimate is outside of your normal range(high or low) your BF number is going to be less than meaningful.

    That makes sense to me and helps me understand one of the trends I see...H2O #goes down, my BF #tends to go up as does my weight. Nothing significant but a trend I've noticed. I supposed that's one of the reasons I was curious if anyone had any insight or knowledge of what it should be. I found a few articles online but I never know what's considered a reliable source or not so I remain skeptical and slightly confused. :D
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    I don't know what you would do with this number as there is no established standard to review it to. That and the margin is very wide (15-20%)

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    Your personal water % is a dependent variable and changes within a matter of hours depending on your recent eating habits, hormone levels, and water intake.

    The only use I know of is to ensure competitive athletes are not dehydrated to make a lower weight classification e.g. boxing/wrestling.

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